A Bad Case of Flea...Markets

We went shopping.

I've never been one to spend much time territorially vying for other people's used homegoods at the crack of dawn. I have no need for musty placemats or chipped trinkets or pre-worn shoes. Urgh. Especially the pre-worn shoes. My skin just crawls thinking of it. But flea markets seem to be a bit of a thing here in our corner of Deustchland, so one fine Saturday morning not too long ago Husband and I merrily, if skeptically, found our way to a haven of gently used baubles and whatnots.

At first I was tempted to slink right back out the doors of the community center and make haste to the nearest mall and/or hand sanitizing station, but upon the gentle urgings of Husband (who convienently had the keys), I found myself halfheartedly pawing through a veritable sea of pilling matronly cardigans and scuffed porcelain figurines.  Had I been in the market for tiny statuettes of shepherds or stained lace doilies or straight to VHS movies I would have been set for life. 

As it was, I was not.

But, the more I looked, the more I found. And I'm not talking about broken kitchen appliances or sun bleached curtains. We actually came across some (gasp!) desirable goods, and in the end I'm glad I went. 

A for-realsies coffee grinder.

As soon as I spotted the coffee grinder, I fell in love. Which was really embarrassing considering Husband was there. After an awkward conversation wherein I basically made clear that my loyalties now lie with an old timey kitchen appliance, Husband agreed to purchase the item in exchange for our continued matrimony. A good decision. The lady we bought it from, who appeared to be an antique herself, delighted us with stories of this, her mothers coffee grinder, and the various places she lived and used it. I was charmed. Eventually we'll hang it in the kitchen, maybe even use it. The lady assured us it works and she actually used it the week prior- as evidence by the still-aromatic bean residue in the glass bowl at the bottom.

The same lady had this stunning copper planter. I don't think it is particularly antique or special in any way besides the sheer coolness of it. And really, what more can you ask of a copper planter? We haven't quite figured out what to do with it yet- I want to put it inside and find some decorative use for it. Husband, however, expected us to actually grow a plant inside it. Psh. Ridiculous idea.

This is just a basket for our formerly bare-boned powder room. Obviously. I guess given that I've included a picture, the description is completely unnecessary. There you have it.

We bought a few more things- a hair straightening iron with a proper German plug so I don't go blowing up the house trying to use mine on a transformer, a ridiculous beer stein with a duck bill as a lid (Husbands pick, not mine, and I couldn't really argue after having just broken his heart over a coffee grinder), a board game and a modern decorative bowl for the living room. I actually had to take the bowl to the car and hide it in the trunk as every few feet a different lady would approach me with some kind of snarky, "I was going to buy that bowl" comment (many of the people at the flea market spoke English) and I began to fear for the safety of my decor. Vicious, these flea market hens.

And finally, the very highlight of the excursion, the pièce de résistance, the very thing husband opposed the inclusion of on our wedding gift registry...

A WAFFLE MAKER! 

Bonus points that the waffles come out shaped as hearts. Maybe I'll make one for the coffee grinder.